There’s a Defend DACA Protest Happening in Philly This Morning

Claire Sasko |

September 5, 2017 AT 9:09 AM

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(AP File Photo/Alex Brandon)

Activists plan to protest in Old City on Tuesday morning as President Donald Trump prepares to announce whether or not he’ll keep a program that allows immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children to remain in the country while they work or attend school.

Philly-based immigrant rights organization Juntos is hosting the demonstration, which will kick off at 10 a.m. outside the Department of Justice building at 200 Chestnut St. Nearly 200 people have said they’re “going” to the protest on Facebook, and nearly 700 said they’re “interested.”

Trump has said that he is “strongly considering” ending DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program that has allowed nearly 790,000 recipients (sometimes called “Dreamers”) to receive work permits and deportation relief. The president is considering giving Congress six months to come up with a potential alternate program.

Immigrants rights advocates and others who support the program say that bringing it to an end would have devastating effects on recipients as well as the colleges, jobs and communities to which they contribute.

“We call on all DACA recipients, friends, families and allies … to let the Trump regime know that we will stand up against white supremacy, against the criminalization of our communities and that we stand united as a city to defend our sanctuary city policies and our rights to be in the place we call home,” a Facebook event description for Tuesday’s protest reads.

Those who oppose the program claim the country should enforce immigration laws regardless of age.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions is expected to make an announcement about the program at an 11 a.m. press briefing on Tuesday.